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Shame and Light #septemberchallenge

Shame and Light

Shame was her best friend growing up
It kept her from telling anyone about herself.
Shame helped her bedwetting become
A well-gaurded family secret.

Shame was her companion
As she struggled with grown up issues
Thrust upon her young shoulders.
Shame was what made her hide
Secrets that were not hers to tell.

Masks are what she wore
Tell her which one you preferred
And she would don it :
Good girl, responsible one
Great friend, good employee….

Shame was what made her secretive
Leading her down dark paths
Causing her to make poor choices
Until she had her own secrets to hide.

Broken
Driven to dark thoughts
Enmeshed in a web of deceit
Unable to make her way out
She begged for light.
Light to show her the way
The light of grace
The knowledge that she was forgiven.

Knowing that she was accepted
Realizing that she was loved
Slowly she made her way out
Into the light.

Letting go of shame
She clung to grace and love
Fears relieved and truth embraced
She chose gratitude as her companion.

Shame derives its power from being unspeakable…If we speak shame, it begins to wither. Just the way exposure to light was deadly for the gremlins, language and story bring light to shame and destroy it. – Brené Brown

Today I’m linking in to the #1Word blog hop hosted by Lisa and Janine. The prompts were ‘shame’ or ‘light’. I decided to cheat and combine both the words for my post. I’m also linking in to #WODW hosted by Mia and Vashelle.

Reader Interactions

Comments

What a powerful poem, Corinne. I feel like you wrote this especially for me 🙂 Some shame feels like it can never be spoken about; but like you said, once you utter it, it becomes easier and easier and it sloughs off of you like dead skin. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, always. <3

What timing for me to read this Corinne! I start my classes this week to reconnect with my father’s Catholic roots.. Letting go of the unspeakable and stepping into the Light.. Yes! – Also, my blog post today is all about you. 🙂 You should check it out. 🙂

Again a very insightful way of looking at things… and something I perhaps have been doing in some ways without even realizing. I can’t say I am fully free but I know I don’t allow shame to have a total hold over me anymore either

I worked with a person years ago – bad things had happened to her as a child, and she used bad ways to cope with them. Years later, she tried so hard to change herself and where she was headed, but she ended up trapped by drug addiction. This poem reminded me of her. I wonder if she is still alive, and if she succeeded, finally in leaving shame for the light.

Beautiful words – very eloquently expressed. Yes, light does make shame whither and lose power. The world would be a better place of more people had the strength to voice their inner shame instead of being angry at everyone and doing destructive things. Lovely post – thank you.

What a lovely composition Corinne! Very often what we feel ashamed about is not even our own doing… family secrets like you mentioned, marital abuse or even having been exploited at work. And yet, the burden of shame is carried on long and hard…